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Especially appealing to Rensselaer’s highly motivated and intellectually talented students are opportunities to engage in leading-edge research. Rensselaer’s relatively small size enables faculty researchers to work closely with students, and they eagerly include both undergraduate and graduate students in their research work. Such opportunities are available to students in virtually every major offered through Rensselaer’s five schools—Engineering, Science, the Lally School of Management and Technology, Architecture, and Humanities and Social Sciences.
Additional special opportunities include a variety of domestic and overseas student exchange programs, internships, and real-world work experience through the Cooperative Education Program. Rensselaer’s Office of Professional and Distance Education also offers a highly successful program that extends graduate courses and degree programs to students at many leading global corporations. Conversely, the Vollmer W. Fries and other lecture series bring leading industrialists, governmental officials, authors, and outside educator-scholars to the Troy campus.
Recognizing the benefits of such beyond-the-classroom educational opportunities, leading industries and graduate and professional schools throughout the nation actively seek Rensselaer graduates.
Undergraduate Programs
Dean
Gary A. Gabriele
Undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Science degree are available in more than 30 fields listed on the inside of the front cover of this catalog. All B.S. programs are normally completed in four academic years. Dual majors are also an option that generally can be completed within four academic years. For information on general degree requirements, refer to the Academic Information section of this catalog. The individual school sections provide detailed information on the specific curricula that each offers.
The Schools of Architecture and Engineering also offer professionally accredited degrees. These are the five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree program and the five-year Master of Engineering degree program. See the School of Architecture and School of Engineering catalog sections for more detailed information.
Additional special options available to undergraduates are described below.
Undergraduate Research Program As a globally active research university committed to providing student research opportunities, Rensselaer offers undergraduates the opportunity to participate in research projects through our Undergraduate Research Program. This unique program offers students real-world, hands-on research experience. Students work directly with a faculty member on a bona fide research project for which they can earn either pay or course credit. Details are available on our Web site: http://www.rpi.edu/dept/urp/ or in the Office of Undergraduate Education, Walker Lab, Room 4010. Additional information specific to individual fields can be found within the catalog section for the associated school.
Exchange and Study Abroad Programs Studying abroad can broaden students’ cultural horizons and offer a new and extended perspective on a technological education. Rensselaer, therefore, offers a wide variety of exchange and/or study-abroad programs to undergraduate students.
Most exchange programs are intended for students in their junior year. Students apply to participate in these programs during the second semester of their sophomore year. Serious consideration for these programs generally requires that students achieve and maintain a QPA of 3.0 or better.
Study-abroad programs with a number of established colleges and universities throughout Europe, as well as with a limited number of Asian and Australian institutions, are available. Participation in these programs is usually for one year. However, some one-semester arrangements are possible. Some programs give priority to specific majors, and some institutions require foreign language proficiency. Detailed information on study-abroad or exchange programs that individual Rensselaer schools administer can be found within the catalog section devoted to the associated school.
A comprehensive list of Rensselaer study-abroad and exchange programs and the associated contact person is provided below.
Undergraduate International Exchange Program
Kim Ellenwood, (518) 276-2244, smithka@rpi.edu
International Management Exchange Program
Linda Nastacie, (518) 276-6585, nastal@rpi.edu
Architecture Exchange Program
Lecia O’Dell, (518) 276-6203, odelll@rpi.edu
Global Engineering Education Exchange (Global E3) Program
Lester Gerhardt, (518) 276-6203, gerhal@rpi.edu
Swiss Exchange Program
William A. Wallace, (518) 276-7854, wallaw@rpi.edu
French Exchange Program
Lucien Gerber, (518) 276-8125, gerbel@rpi.edu
University of Amsterdam Exchange Program
David Hess, (518) 276-8509, hessd@rpi.edu
Preprofessional Programs Rensselaer offers several specialized prehealth programs as well as a prelaw program for students planning to enter professional schools upon graduation.
Prehealth Programs Rensselaer successfully prepares students to enter medical, dental, podiatric, and other health professional schools. These students major in such fields as biology, chemistry, biomedical engineering and other engineering programs, mathematics, physics, or psychology. With their adviser, these students develop a plan of study that allows them to fulfill professional school prerequisites, while earning their B.S. degree. For further information, students should refer to the Prehealth Web site: http://bio.bio.rpi.edu/MED/ or contact members of the Prehealth Professions Committee located in 1W14 Science Center, (518) 276-8427.
Accelerated programs that permit students to complete undergraduate and professional studies within an abbreviated period of time are also available. For detailed information, see the School of Science section of this catalog.
Prelaw Program The baccalaureate program in a number of fields will prepare Rensselaer students to enter law school. Rensselaer graduates who obtain law degrees are equipped to enter general practice or to serve in important legal positions in business, industry, or government. In cooperation with Albany Law School and Columbia University Law School, Rensselaer has also developed accelerated programs that permit students to earn law degrees within six years. After a three-year accelerated undergraduate program, the student enters law school. Upon completion of the fourth year, the student receives the B.S. degree. The J.D. is awarded at the end of the sixth year. See the Science and Technology Studies program within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences section and the Lally School of Management and Technology section of this catalog for further information.
Internship Programs Upper-level undergraduates may enroll for course credit in this program, working as volunteers for at least 80 hours per semester. Students are placed with nonprofit or governmental organizations, including Troy city government offices, local schools and after-school programs, hospitals, museums, homeless shelters, environmental organizations, the New York State Legislature, the Attorney General’s office, and others. Such internships give students a glimpse of career options in the public and not-for-profit sectors. For further information visit http://www.rpi.edu/~interns/ or contact Nancy Campbell, Department of Science and Technology Studies, (518) 276-6065.
First Year Courses Recognizing the diverse backgrounds of entering freshmen, Rensselaer offers special courses or course sections in many first-year subjects. These include special course sections for students who have taken advanced placement or honors courses or who require extra help. There are also special first-year courses in humanities and social sciences. Generally, students are admitted to advanced or extra-help courses by invitation and are usually identified before the start of or, in some cases, during the fall term.
Advanced courses permit students to continue subjects in which they have received advanced-placement credit. Extra-help sections meet the needs of students with background deficiencies in certain subjects. These sections cover the same content as regular sections, but class size is limited. These sections also meet an extra hour each week to allow for increased individual attention from the instructor.
First-year studies in humanities and social sciences introduce students to a range of issues in these areas through a choice of team-taught topics courses. Each course involves discussion sections of approximately 25 students, emphasizing communication and collaborative projects.
Reserve Officer Training Corps Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs are available on an elective basis for students desiring commissions as officers in the armed forces. ROTC programs are undertaken concurrently with baccalaureate degree studies.
Graduate Programs
Dean Tom Apple
In addition to students obtaining graduate degrees on Rensselaer’s Troy campus, more than 1,800 part-time students pursue graduate degrees at Rensselaer at Hartford and over 1,000 pursue graduate degrees through Rensselaer’s Office of Professional and Distance Education.
All doctoral programs and many master’s programs involve students in research activities that generally are supported by government, industry, or foundations. Faculty members serve as senior investigators for a wide range of challenging research projects and are assisted by postdoctoral investigators and graduate students. Research opportunities for graduate students are also an important part of many Rensselaer research centers. These centers include the Scientific Computation Research Center (SCOREC), the Center for Integrated Electronics (CIE), the New York State Center for Polymer Synthesis, the New York State Center for Automation Technologies, the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center, and the Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship. Additional information about thse centers can be found in the Research Resources and Centers and several other sections of this catalog.
Renssealer at Hartford
Acting Vice President David L. Rainey
The mission of Rensselaer at Hartford is to provide excellence in education for working professionals by delivering a world-class learning experience with 21st century content to prepare students to lead in an increasingly technological world.
Rensselaer at Hartford, a branch campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, provides a challenging educational environment and a dynamic learning experience for students who need to balance their professional, academic, and personal lives. Over 1,800 students attend classes at Rensselaer’s Hartford campus and Groton site. Rensselaer’s educational enterprise for working professionals is dedicated to providing an interactive learning environment for students who are seeking high-level knowledge while they hone their analytical capabilities and leadership skills and enhance their innovative thinking. The intent is to have Rensselaer graduates – executives, senior professionals, managers, and individuals with high potential – become architects of their futures. With dramatic increases in the rate of change, working professionals expect and demand an academic environment that fits the evolving needs of their fast-paced world.
Rensselaer at Hartford offers graduate programs in Business Administration, Management, Computer Science, Computer and Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Information Technology. Specialized programs including Dual Master’s Degrees, the Weekend M.B.A., the Weekend M.S., and the Executive Master’s Program are also available, as well as several graduate certificates in Bioinformatics, Computer and Information Sciences, and Engineering. Courses are delivered by faculty with significant industry experience, solid academic credentials and scholarship, and exceptional teaching skills whose expertise is grounded in sound research and best practices on a global basis. Each course is designed to meet the needs of working professionals seeking to advance their careers and enhance their organizations’ successes. Rensselaer graduates are entrepreneurial and personify the Institute’s slogan, “Why not change the world?”
Rensselaer also offers a full range of corporate training and professional development programs and services through the Rensselaer Learning Institute (RLI). Training programs and workshops are available in the areas of information technology, leadership and executive development, and technical and professional development. RLI provides a range of services including needs assessment and custom program development for companies to meet individual employee development needs. The focus of RLI is to deliver the best training and education solutions for working professionals anytime, anywhere.
Locations
Rensselaer at Hartford is housed in its own eight-story building on 16 landscaped acres in downtown Hartford, and is readily accessible from both Interstates 84 and 91. Amenities include on-site security; free, lighted parking; bookstore; and cafeteria. The Rensselaer Groton Site at the Trails Corner Professional Center in Groton, Conn., serves students and corporations in Southeastern Connecticut, and is easily accessible from Interstate 95.
Additional information on academic programs may be obtained by contacting the Enrollment Management Office at (860) 548-2480 or (800) 433-4723, ext. 2480; by e-mail: rem-info@rh.edu; or by visiting our Web site at www.rh.edu.
Professional and Distance Education
Vice Provost for Professional and Distance Education
William C. Jennings
Rensselaer’s office of Professional and Distance Education (PDE) provides graduate-level credit and noncredit education programs to working professionals in corporate, government, and home environments using distance technology and other nontraditional delivery systems. This highly regarded distance program, RSVP, keeps working professionals and their organizations current in their fields. The U.S. Distance Learning Association has twice recognized RSVP’s excellence. In 1993, it named RSVP the Best Distance Learning Program, and in 1996, RSVP received its designation as Outstanding Corporate Partnership Program.
RSVP provides courses, degrees, and certificates through a range of delivery technologies including satellite, interactive video conferencing, videotapes, and the World Wide Web. Online courses are delivered either via videostreaming or by the new Rensselaer 80/20 Delivery Model, which combines asynchronous and synchronous learning sessions. On-line office hours, student chat areas, and class notes support and enhance these programs. More than 1,000 students at over 60 corporate locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Western Europe, “attend” each semester, along with an increasing number of individual students. Master’s degrees and certificates are available in the following areas:
Master’s Degrees
Business Administration
Computer Science
Computer and Systems Engineering
Electrical Engineering w/concentration in Microelectronics
Electric Power Engineering
Engineering Science w/concentrations in:
Management of Technology
Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Microelectronics Mfg. Engineering
Industrial & Mgmt. Engr. w/concentrations in:
Quality Engineering
Service Systems
Information Technology
Management w/concentrations in:
Human-Computer Interaction
Information Technology
Production and Operations Management
Service Systems
Technology Management
Mechanical Engineering
Technical Communication
Certificates
Bioinformatics
Computer Graphics & Data Visualization
Computer Networks
Computer Science
Database Systems Design
Electric Power Engineering
Graphical User Interfaces
Human-Computer Interfaces
Management and Technology
Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Microelectronics Manufacturing Engr.
Microelectronics Technology & Design
Quality and Reliability
Service Systems
Software Engineering
Technical Program Management for Commercial Businesses
PDE students are accepted as matriculated or nonmatriculated and must meet the same academic standards as on-campus students. The PDE staff provides centralized access to student and administration services, computer and library services, and faculty.
The PDE office can also arrange noncredit courses, workshops, seminars, and symposiums in disciplines reflecting Rensselaer’s academic strengths. Rensselaer faculty and other experts in the field teach these courses, which may be offered at the Rensselaer campus or delivered at corporate sites and other locations upon request. They can also be delivered through distributed learning technologies. Noncredit programs can be completed for Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
For further information, visit the Web site at http://www.pde.rpi.edu or contact the Office of Professional and Distance Education at (518) 276-8351.
Division of the Chief Information Officer
Chief Information Officer
John E. Kolb
The Division of the Chief Information Officer (DotCIO) provides information strategies, services, and technology and collaborates with Rensselaer’s diverse campus constituents to find solutions for changing educational research, communication, and business needs. DotCIO responds to the rapid evolution of distributed computing and the need for combining computing and communications services, and supports Rensselaer’s nationally recognized interactive learning initiatives.
Campus computing facilities offer students a variety of software including programming language compilers, desktop publishing packages, spreadsheets, and computer-aided design packages, as well as electronic mail and conferencing.
Of the Division of the Chief Information Officer’s seven departments, students interact most closely with Academic and Research Computing and Research Libraries. Therefore, these two departments are described below. The on-line newsletter (The Kiosk) can be accessed at http://www.rpi.edu/dotcionews.
Academic and Research Computing
Director
Sharon Roy
Web site http://www.rpi.edu/computing
Academic and Research Computing (ARC) provides educational computing services and assistance in support of Rensselaer’s learning and research activities.
ARC consists of consulting and research computing, help desk services, educational technology services, the campus computer store, and computer repair. Some of the department’s responsibilities include administering the Mobile Computing Program, administering software licensing services, providing consulting for researchers, administering the numerically intensive computing service, maintaining the registrar-scheduled computer classrooms, and deploying software for all public computing sites. Professional staff members assist students, faculty members, and other computer users by providing specialized consulting, Rensselaer-specific documentation, and training through short courses. At the help desk in the Voorhees Computing Center, services can be requested from any Division of the Chief Information Officer department, and consulting help is available from the ARC staff.
Computing is integrated into the curriculum and is an essential component of course work and communication. As part of the Mobile Computing Program, all incoming students are required to have a laptop computer. By fall 2002, all undergraduates will have a laptop computer. For more information on the Mobile Computing Program visit http://www.rpi.edu/laptops.
Campus computing facilities offer students several platforms including PCs running Windows and UNIX. Each student receives a Rensselaer Computing System (RCS) account that allows access to the campus network, the Internet, RPInfo (Rensselaer’s Web site), electronic mail, and library services.
A variety of software is available including numeric and symbolic computation programs (Maple and MATLAB), programming language compilers (C, C++, and Fortran), desktop publishing packages and spreadsheet software (Microsoft), computer-aided design packages (SolidWorks), graphics packages, electronic mail programs, and newsreaders for Usenet electronic news. Specialized software for course work is also installed in some locations.
Several hundred public workstations in classrooms and labs are connected to the network. There are also network ports in public buildings across campus and in every residence hall room. From a single workstation, personal computer, or laptop, a student can connect to several different host computers on campus as well as to off-campus host computers, data services, and networks.
Some of the larger public workstation areas are located in the Voorhees Computing Center (VCC), Jonsson Engineering Center, Troy Building, Low Center for Industrial Innovation (CII), Folsom Library, and Russell Sage Laboratory. Many of these sites are open 24 hours a day and weekends, depending on the academic calendar.
For high performance computing (long-running, numerically intensive jobs), a Batch Cluster and several UNIX workstations are available. In addition, a cluster of high-performance Linux workstations can run programs that employ parallel processing.
The Rensselaer Research Libraries
Director
Loretta Ebert
With state-of-the-art electronic information retrieval services and study space for over 900 students, the Folsom Library serves as Rensselaer’s central library, while the Architecture Library, located in the Greene Building, supports the School of Architecture programs. In addition, the Cole Library supports the Rensselaer at Hartford graduate programs. Most of the Rensselaer Research Libraries’ collections of approximately one-half million volumes of books are on open-access shelves. The collection also contains scholarly journals, technical research reports, government-document series, as well as a range of multi-media material. Reference librarians help students define their information needs and suggest pertinent literature. Online reference and instructional dialoging with the library staff is made available through a Web- based instant messaging service. Specially designed classes and workshops on both Web-based and traditional print resources are offered through the libraries’ award-winning instruction program.
Computer-based access to the collections and online resources are available through RensSearch, the Web gateway for the Rensselaer Research Libraries. RensSearch provides on- and off-campus online access to over 5,000 full-text electronic books, well over 100 research databases and reference resources, and over 12,000 unique full-text journals. The Rensselaer Research Libraries have taken a leadership role in building library consortia in order to facilitate access to shared electronic collections and to promote intercampus borrowing and delivery of print collections by end users. One example of this is Connect NY, a unified catalog of several New York State academic libraries that allows library users from participating libraries to borrow materials from other Connect NY libraries through their home library system.
Library services include an electronic class reserves system, photocopy facilities, interlibrary loan, borrowing privileges at most academic libraries in the area, individual consulting on research projects, and group study rooms. Students may take a break in the Library Café or borrow the latest best seller from the Class of 1996 Reading Room’s recreational reading collections. Individual assistance and equipment are available for special needs.
To provide students with increased access to computing resources, the libraries offer over 90 public access computers including PCs, Macs, and UNIX workstations, as well as scanners and high resolution color printers. These computers provide access to campus network resources, library databases, and the World Wide Web. An instructional computer laboratory enables hands-on, small group instruction. More than 200 laptop connections to the campus network are distributed throughout the Folsom Library.
The Cole Library has a specialized collection of books, journals, and electronic subscriptions in Computer Science, Engineering, and Business Management. The collection includes publications from business and professional groups such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Conference Board, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The Institute Archives and Department of Special Collections, located in the Fixman Room on the third floor of Folsom Library, contains valuable information on the history of Rensselaer and its alumni. It also houses major collections on the history of science and technology.
The Architecture Library occupies the west end of the third floor of the Greene Building. Approximately 30,000 volumes of books and periodicals, both domestic and foreign, are available. The Architecture Library contains a loan collection of approximately 100,000 slides on contemporary and historical buildings, structural design, building technology, city planning, and fine arts. To date, over 5,000 of these images have been digitized. Additionally, more than 1,200 digital images are available online via the library’s subscription to the Saskia Ltd. digital image database. The library also includes videos, maps, architectural drawings, microfiche, and architecture-related software.
Advising and Learning Assistance Center
Director
Robert M. Conway Jr.
The Advising and Learning Assistance Center provides a unified approach to assisting students in the learning and advising process. Through a variety of services, the office provides professional and caring one-stop support for undergraduate students in their academic endeavors.
Responsibilities of this office include coordination of academic advising, primary advising of undecided and nonmatriculated students, counseling of students, provision of procedures and programs aimed at student retention, free course-specific undergraduate tutoring, provision of supplemental instruction, aiding students for whom English is a second language (ESL), and delivery of workshops on time management, study skills, and stress management.
Additionally, the Advising and Learning Assistance Center staff serve on a number of campus committees and are involved in program adjustments, curriculum changes, and academic dismissal and readmission matters. Other areas of involvement include the awarding of commencement prizes, interpreting and determining exceptions to academic regulations, and assisting students with their Curriculum, Advising, and Program Planning (CAPP) reports.
Finally, the center employs student learning assistants who reside in predominantly freshman residence halls to provide learning skills assistance.
The Anderson Center for Innovation in Undergraduate Education
Director Bradford C. Lister
Since its inception in 1990, the Anderson Center has served as an incubator for curriculum reform and a driving force for change and innovation in higher education. In brief, the Center’s mission has been to develop, research, and support new teaching methods and technologies with the aim of improving education, both on and off campus. The Center is dedicated to extending Rensselaer’s leadership position as one of the premiere learning environments in higher education. It supports faculty involvement in educational computing, develops new techniques and facilities for interactive learning, and conducts research on cognition, learning, and the assessment of learning outcomes. Current projects encompass research on student learning styles, interaction and peer-based learning in student teams, constructivist approaches to teaching complex systems, and the use of asynchronous learning networks for on-campus instruction.
The Anderson Center facilitates faculty involvement in the renewal of undergraduate education through a series of hands-on workshops on interactive learning and an annual Colloquium on Teaching and Learning. Center staff are available for consulting on all aspects of studio teaching and educational technology. Externally, the Center hosts hundreds of visitors each year from all over the world who come to Rensselaer to learn about our teaching practices. In addition to the director, associate director, and administrative assistant, the Anderson Center employs Web developers, assessment specialists, video production personnel, and a cadre of undergraduate and graduate research assistants. Center staff have expertise in experimental design, statistical analysis, course redesign, protocol analysis, assessment of learning styles, instructional design, and Web-based multimedia development.
Institute Diversity
Assistant Provost for Institute Diversity Deborah Nazon
The Office of Institute Diversity serves as a campuswide advocate, liaison, consultant, and clearinghouse to enhance campus synergy among faculty, students, and staff. Part of its mission is to provide leadership and direction in creating a “seamless” diversity perspective that capitalizes on the creativity and richness of Rensselaer constituents. It is proactive in its efforts to align campus diversity initiatives with the vision and mission of the university, thereby fostering the growth of a community that embraces intellectual, geographic, ethnic, and gender diversity. Institute Diversity is located on the fourth floor of the Walker Laboratory.
Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education
Director Lester A. Rubenfeld, Professor of Mathematical Sciences
Program Home Page http://cipce.rpi.edu
Expressing its deep concern that pre-college students are not being properly educated and are not ready to enter the technological workplace that awaits them, and sharing with the nation’s schools an obligation to develop and deliver a first-class education to students at all levels, Rensselaer established, in 1996, a Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education (CIPCE). This center seeks to foster innovations in pre-college education that build upon Rensselaer’s strengths and traditions in pedagogy, interactive learning, educational technologies, and teacher education. Its activities include developing and administering graduate programs for pre-college teachers, facilitating academic-year workshops and summer institutes that focus on inquiry-based teaching and learning, the integration of instructional technologies in the classroom, and the development and implementation of online courses for teachers.
Major activities include:
- Graduate M.S. programs for mathematics, science, and technology education teachers.
- Staff development projects, including academic year workshops and summer institutes, on and off site for K-12 teachers.
- Development of K-12 interactive multimedia materials.
- A partnership with the New York State Department of Education in attempting to reform the way mathematics, science, and technology are being taught to students in the state’s largest urban areas.
- Experimentation with the use of online and other long distance learning technologies for the professional development of teachers.
M.S. in Natural Science
The challenges presenting themselves today in the realm of mathematics and science education are vast and complex. Never in our time has education in these areas been more vital and important. Never has it been more difficult to teach. Students in these times present much greater demands, and also potential, than their predecessors.
Getting young people excited about mathematics and science is a task that has added to the challenge of teachers. And yet, if a teacher can learn to inspire observant inquiry by infusing the curriculum with the kind of immediacy and relevance that makes it compelling to students, the job itself will be much more fulfilling for the educator as well.
Excellent teaching of mathematics and science occurs when the teacher has a broad-based, in-depth view of content, knowledge of how to integrate it with other disciplines, and the ability to use modern instructional technologies to vitalize classroom activities.
Rensselaer’s program provides teachers with an opportunity to upgrade their qualifications and examine how their curricula can make the best use of advancing technologies. Our goal is to help secondary school science and mathematics teachers enhance their skills with new techniques, tools, and a rich body of scientific and mathematics content.
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